Rachel Yavinsky
Senior Policy Advisor
Rachel Yavinsky is a Senior Policy Advisor in International Programs at PRB, where she works at the intersection of research, practice, and policy to advance evidence-informed solutions in global health and development. She specializes in translating complex evidence into clear, actionable insights and developing innovative knowledge products that support decision-making.
Her work focuses on family planning; maternal, neonatal, and child health; and population, health, and environment (PHE). Yavinsky brings particular expertise in qualitative research and in analyzing the drivers and impacts of changing community demographics, helping ensure that programs and policies are grounded in lived experiences and responsive to shifting population dynamics. Across her work, she strengthens how evidence is communicated, shared, and used to improve outcomes.
Yavinsky has led strategic communications, knowledge management, and research utilization efforts for major donor-funded initiatives. She previously served as Strategic Communications and Engagement Lead for the Passages Project, managed PRB’s Policy Communication Fellows Program, and led the research utilization and knowledge management team for Breakthrough RESEARCH, a USAID-funded social and behavior change project.
She holds a Master of Health Science in Reproductive and Perinatal Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy from Duke University.
Expertise
Aging and Depopulation
Caregiving and the Care Economy
Children, Youth, and Families
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Featured News & Insights
Are Millennials Really the Bridge to a More Integrated America?
New research finds Millennial adults do live in less segregated neighborhoods than past generations—but progress has been mixed, and diversity does not always mean true integration.
Why Americans Are Delaying Parenthood
Four studies offer new insights on the decision to have kids in a low birth rate era.
Families With Nonstandard Work Schedules Face 'Pattern of Disadvantage'
Mothers with less education are more likely to work jobs that fall outside the typical 9-to-5 schedule. This can have negative effects on their children’s behavior and development.
State Lawmakers Turn to Research Community in Efforts to Protect Abortion Access
Without coordination from researchers and advocates, “we would have not had 38 other organizations who support reproductive rights in Maryland and across the country come up to support us and provide testimony in that bill," said Lesley Lopez (D-Maryland).
Abortion Bans Linked to Sharp Rise in Sepsis, Infant Death, and Pregnancy-Associated Death, New Research Shows
In the wake of Roe's overturn, states with abortion bans have seen 478 excess infant deaths and 59 excess deaths during or after pregnancy.
For Homeless Youth, Is Poor Health Just a Matter of Time?
A new study finds that the longer young adults spend unsheltered, the more likely they are to report poor health outcomes
Featured Resources
A Closer Look at How Kids and Moms Stay Connected Over Time
A new study finds that growing up doesn’t mean growing apart—at least not always.
When Doctors Advise Teens on Contraception, Bias May Shape the Conversation
For many teenagers, a conversation with their doctor is the primary way they learn about contraceptive options. One talk can shape both the methods they choose and their confidence in seeking future care.
When the Grocery Store Closed, a Town Lost More Than Food
The closure of a local grocery store or clinic is often framed as an economic loss or a mere inconvenience.
Localizing WHO Guidelines on Self-Care: A Practical Guide From Uganda / Adaptation des lignes directrices de l’OMS sur l’autosoin
This how-to guide documents Uganda’s approach to developing and testing a self-care guideline, and illuminates a five-phase process that may be helpful for other countries looking to nationalize the WHO guideline.
Improving Antenatal Care in Nigeria With Social and Behavioral Change
The Breakthrough RESEARCH project has identified three important factors for improving women’s attendance at four or more antenatal visits during pregnancy (ANC4+) in three states in northwestern Nigeria: 1) knowledge of ANC’s benefits, 2) confidence in the ability to access care, and 3) knowledge of the need to attend four or more visits.
Featured Projects
PROPEL Health
PRB is a partner on the PROPEL Health project, which is working to support more equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy, financing, governance, and advocacy.
